Cormac McQuinn: ‘Emails show relations with tech firm are still very warm’

It’s six years since former Taoiseach Enda Kenny was allegedly listed in a Facebook internal memo as among its “friends” but newly released emails show that relations with the Irish Government remain very cordial.

Senior Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg sent Taoiseach Leo Varadkar a preview picture of the design for the company’s new Irish office. She also thanked him for his feedback on the social media platform’s public safety efforts. Ms Sandberg was in Dublin in January when she announced 1,000 extra jobs.

She met European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee, who gave Facebook’s chief operating officer an update on the Irish position on Brexit. It was during her visit to Dublin that Ms Sandberg said Facebook “needs to do a better job keeping people safe on our platform”. Just days later she met Mr Varadkar at the World Economic Forum in Davos. She emailed both Mr Varadkar and Ms McEntee following their meetings.

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